Perspective
by Better Than Haru
Summary: Zuko reflects on his past encounters with Katara and how much their relationship has changed from annoyance and hatred to...well, Zuko's gonna have to get back to you on that.  In honour of Day two of Zutara week.


**I know, I know. I'm trying to catch up to the days, but it's HARD.**

**I'm gonna mark Zutara week 2011 on my next calendar. That would work, but my current calendar is set on February 2010.**

**NOTICE: THIS WAS TAKEN OFF OF ANOTHER ACCOUNT OF MINE. I'M NOT STEALING**

**BTH**

**

* * *

**

**2. Change**

The first time Zuko had ever laid eyes on Katara, she wasn't exactly the focus of his attention. He was much more focused on the wild goose chase that was his honour and the bald kid that was standing in front of him. In his defense, though, sixteen-year-old Zuko, chalk full of teen angst, daddy issues and suffering from what might be the poorest choice in hair styles, didn't see the nameless water tribe girl as much to look at.

At the time, she'd had her hair tied back so it was hardly visible, wore a bulky winter coat that wouldn't do much for _anyone's _figure, and was scowling at him like she'd just drank old milk. I'm sure anybody else, when seeing her like this as a first impression, would've thought '_Daaaaaaaang, I'd tap that!_' but, I guess, Zuko's always been a little strange.

The next few times Zuko saw her, it was basically the same drill. Hair: reminiscent of the late Amish community, clothes: Better, but still baggy, expression: old milk, but hey, he was their enemy and, to be fair, his vantage point was always a little unclear. He was fairly sure that her and the rest of 'Team Avatar''s visage of him was equally as unflattering, later on finding out from Toph that Sokka had described him as "Some freak with a ponytail."

Zuko's opinion of her only got worse once he became a refugee. He spent his time with only one other girl, Jin, whom he only went out with once. His bad opinion of Katara was glamourized by his imagination and unclear previous visuals of her and his image of her was of some prudish, flat-chested, peasant girl that had a rather plain face.

Then, Zuko was thrown into the crystal catacombs and got his very first good look at her when she wasn't angry. He noted that bits of the fabric she wore clung to her body so as to shape out a thin waist underneath. Her hair was long and soft looking, making him wonder what it would look like if she wore it down. She looked younger than him, which surprised him as he had always assumed that she was his same age. This explained why she had a certain look to her that she was still growing into herself. After talking to each other for a bit, she turned to him without anger and went very close to him. Her eyes were absolutely astounding, a clear cut aqua colour, like they were crafted out of smooth, pure gems. Her facial features were also great, but they still looked caught in between adulthood and childhood. High cheeks bones to suggest great future beauty, but a somewhat wide and child-like look reminded that she was still on her way. As she touched his face, that night so long ago, he found that her hands were as soft as they looked, her gentle element having always been kind on the user in deep contrast to the roughness that his element created. In short, she was amazing. Not just her looks, but her personality intrigued him, too. It took more effort to remind himself that this was the same girl that had hated his exiled guts as he had chased her patch-work family across the world and that a relationship with her was nothing short of impossible.

He kept this in mind as he betrayed her in all of her softness, loyalty and graciousness.

When Zuko had finally shown himself the light and had traveled to join 'Team Avatar' with new impeccable 'Good Guy' hair, he saw her again. Her hair was down, she had definitely grown a little more into adulthood, although still retaining some of her childish features, and looked more beautiful than ever, despite the ever-loving look of perfect _hatred_ she sported whenever he was in the vicinity. This was only more personified when her smooth, full voice threatened the day lights out of him. He was okay with that though. He knew he deserved it. Still, he knew it had to stop. He was pretty tired of finding that she had '_accidentally_' fed his share of dinner to Appa. He confronted her and got screamed at, had a very awkward encounter with Sokka, went a night without sleep so he could talk to her and watched her extort Appa from Aang to earn her forgiveness. When they were looking for the Southern Raiders leader, he got right into it, harassing people, giving anger motivating one-liners to Katara and then lording their accomplishment over the present and former leaders of the Southern Raiders. They talked a little on the way back, but Zuko's favourite part was when Katara forgave him. He had never in his life seen her truly smile and, when he did, she was directing it at him. Then she hugged him. He felt so much joy at that moment, knowing that it had all been worth it and that he had been the one to help Katara get a piece of herself back that had seemed so lost before. He had to admit, then, that maybe a relationship with her wasn't _so_ impossible.

So much time had passed since then, it seemed, with the world in peace and Zuko as Fire Lord. 'Team Avatar' had decided that they would go on a group vacation for two weeks every season in every nation, having not known how much they missed each other for the months they had been slaving over paperwork, public peace encouragements and the seemingly endless amount of conferences. On one particular vacation to Kyoshi Island, Sokka and Suki became engaged and, at the ensuing party, Zuko took good look at Katara.

Not too long ago, perhaps one or two years, Zuko had thought of her as some straight-laced Eskimo peasant. Then, he saw her as a gentle beauty, still too uncomfortable in her own skin and living in old grief that she couldn't seem to give up. After that, she was kind,dazzling, getting more used to herself and much more happy living without the past on her shoulders. What was she now, Zuko wondered as the dancing began.

Katara was watching with amusement as Toph taught Aang some formal dance moves, the teens both laughing at Aang's failure at being graceful. Sokka and Suki were no where to be found as the rest of their guests partied on. Her face was sharper, the roundness of childhood having almost completely vanished. Her body was something that her brother often agonized about, as he had some difficulty scaring off her many suitors. Her clothes, no longer baggy, clung to her comfortably and she had allowed her hair to continue to grow to just below her tailbone, preferring her hair out. Her height had increased, as had his, so that she was eye level with his jaw, standing straight with her now unshakable confidence. She teased him often, and he teased back, both insisting to themselves that _no, it's not flirting!_ She was just as powerful as she had been at the end of the war, probably more so with all the constant practice she did. He saw that, more than anyone else, she asked him to spar with her. All in all, the future beauty that had been hinted at so often in their adolescence had been revealed in full and all Zuko could do was stare at her own brilliance.

The more time he spent with her, the more time he wanted to spend with her. The more he thought about _that_ then the more her wanted to spend time with her _alone_. Together. With, perhaps, a few candles, dinner and what some may call romantic behaviour.

Iroh, catching Zuko staring at Katara, gives his nephew a big thumbs up as the older man raises a cup of tea to his lips. Zuko gulped nodded, blushed slightly and then walked to the object of his attention.

"Say, Katara..."

* * *

**DONE! If I write today's actual theme, then I'm all caught up! **

**I'm debating whether or not to call upon the power of Grayskull in order to catch up to the days.**


End file.
